One dog dies, another hurt after eating meat laced with fishhooks: Somersworth police have no suspects

By AMANDA BELAND

Saturday, January 14, 2012

SOMERSWORTH — One dog is dead and another was injured after both ingested a piece of meat laced with fish hooks in an apparent animal cruelty case.

The investigation began on Jan. 5 when Somersworth Police received a report from a woman who lives on Maple Street. Police are unsure when the exact attacks occurred.

The victim stated she believed someone had thrown a food product, most likely a piece of meat, laced with fish hooks into her backyard. The meat was then ingested by her two Doberman pinschers, 9-year-old Brody, a male, and 8-year-old Hunter, a female.

The incident caused injury to both dogs and killed Brody. It is expected Hunter will make a full recovery.

The dogs were taken for treatment at the Veterinary Emergency, Critical Care and Cancer Center of New Hampshire. However, much as hospitals that treat people, emergency rooms that care for animals can't release animal information unless authorized to do so by their owners, according to an official with the center.

Calls to the Cocheco Valley Humane Society also revealed they didn't have a connection with the case.

According to Somersworth Police Capt. Russ Timmons, the victim and owner of the dogs has asked to remain anonymous in the investigation.

After talking with the victim and neighbors, Timmons said there doesn't appear to be any single event that would have caused retaliation of this sort against the victim.

Timmons said the department has visited local stores where fish hooks are sold to try and determine who may have purchased them recently. They also inquired about viewing security tapes of those purchases.

There is no one who is considered a suspect at this time, according to Timmons.

Animal cruelty cases are considered rare in the Hilltop City, according to Timmons and this case is the only one the department is currently investigating.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to call the Somersworth Police Department at 603-692-3131.